Transforming a singular concrete swimming pool into a full-scale family and group-friendly waterpark experience entailed combining waterpark excitement with the existing “Palm Beach” theming, which included a popular sandy beach offering, palm trees and other lush vegetation.

The beach theming was maintained and reinforced through design elements including natural-looking carved rockscape pool walls, waterfalls and spray features that enhance the existing elements. Designers took the concept one step further and added a Tiki theme overlay to the amenities.

Moody Gardens’ extensive family-focused entertainment property is known for its lush landscapes.

Having developed a reputation for providing an educational experience, operators desired a specific blend of fun and interactivity for the renovated aquatic space. There’s the new Palm Beach lagoon — a 6,200-square foot wave pool — and a new 650-foot long lazy river and interactive lagoon, fully loaded to creatively interject the learning process through slap targets, water sprays, air bombs and much more. There’s also two serpentine body slides, and a large spa.

The Palm Beach renovation project was completed in 2011 and funded by the Moody Foundation at a cost of $6 million. It now includes more than 52,000 square feet of aquatic space.

Moody Gardens targets resort staycationers and public day-user families ranging from toddlers to teenagers, as well as large group buy-outs. The design is engaging to all ages encouraging group participation through intertwined waterfeatures and large open spaces accommodating parties and meetings.

Cost-saving operational features include variable frequency drives, so in the off-season operators can reduce energy costs by turning down the pumps.